Evolution in the Ancient Mediterranean: Plants and People Through Time

The Mediterranean Basin harbors an extraordinary diversity of plant life, including over 350 species of bellflowers - half of which are found nowhere else on Earth. But how has thousands of years of human activity shaped this unique botanical heritage? Working with Dr. Nico Cellinese and colleagues at the Florida Museum of Natural History, we’re combining cutting-edge genetic analysis with archaeological data on past human land use to reconstruct the evolutionary journey of these remarkable plants. By tracking how ancient farming, grazing, and urbanization influenced where bellflowers could grow and survive, we’re uncovering how human civilization has become intertwined with plant evolution. This work not only illuminates the deep history of human-environment relationships in the Mediterranean but also helps predict how these unique species might respond to future environmental change.

This project was recently funded by the US National Science Foundation.